A new device is allowing robots used in third-party logistics (3PL) facilities and warehouses to simultaneously garner power or wirelessly recharge batteries while operating. Developed by Waypoint Robotics, this technology could significantly impact the capabilities of mobile industrial robots, along with freeing them from the limitations of current modern batteries. The technology comes in the form of a wireless charging dock called the EnZone, whose underlying wireless charging system comes from wireless transmission plug-and-play device developer for robotic platforms WiBotic.
The technology’s capabilities could gain a lot of momentum in the wireless technology industry if services like drone deliveries take off the way analysts have projected. Transferring power through the air is achieved using wireless inductive charging, which (as most of us already know) are currently used in consumer electronic applications like smartphone charging pads and electric toothbrush docking stations.
“Think back to Physics 101. You may recall that alternating electrical current creates an electromagnetic field as it flows through a conductor,” says WiBotic CEO Ben Waters. “If a second conductor is placed alongside the first, the electromagnetic field will induce electrical current in the second conductor as well.”
Transmission range functions involve the size of the inductive coils, meaning this feature can adapt on the fly and adhere to multiple applications.
“By coiling the wire, and changing the number of coils between the primary and secondary wire, electrical energy of one voltage can be converted into another voltage,” Walters notes. “This is the principle behind electrical transformers, and is essentially the same concept behind wireless inductive charging.”
Mobile robots currently transport materials around warehouses in an effort to replace worker-driven carts, whose human element makes them susceptible to error. More robots are being able to perform additional tasks like analyzing inventory and operation optimizations. Battery life, however, is a huge hindrance for untethered robots that are actively moving throughout a warehouse.
The next step in the forward development of mobile robotics involves the addition of picking and placing arms on the platforms mentioned, which could significantly increase their capabilities. Factors like power draw have been major obstacles, mainly since customers are potentially hesitant or unwilling to invest in robotics that need to dock frequently, even if they’re capable of performing additional picking and placing jobs currently performed by humans or tethered bots. Considering how expensive power storage is, there are some notable tradeoffs, especially when bringing factors like the robot’s operating weight into consideration.
